The present invention relates to a fuse for vehicle circuits. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for diagnosing the breaking of a fuse that confirms the fuse is broken by activating a chemical light.
The most recent developments in the electrical industry for convenience and safety are installed in the latest vehicles more frequently than ever before. This tendency has led to a corresponding increase in the use of fuses, which open to protect a circuit in case of an excessive current. It is, therefore, an important matter whether a fuse is tripped or not because it may control the function of one of the safety apparatuses.
A tripped fuse is typically found by inspection. The typical fuse generally includes a pair of connecting terminals that are connected through electric wires to an electric power source terminal and a ground, respectively. The typical fuse also contains a soft iron element that connects the pair of connecting terminals to each other. The soft iron element melts when an excessive current flows through it and isolates the pair of connecting terminals from each other. A pair of conductive terminals on the outside of the typical fuse are used for confirming whether the soft iron element is broken.
When checking whether the fuse is tripped, a dedicated tester may be used. The melting of the soft iron element is confirmed by checking whether there is connectivity between the pair of conductive terminals. But it is difficult to check the state of the fuse using the naked eye and dedicated testers are rare. Thus, time is taken unnecessarily because a general tester must be used.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of connecting terminals that are connected through electric wires with an electric power source terminal and a ground, respectively, a soft iron element that connects the pair of connecting terminals with each other, the soft iron element melting the pair of connecting terminals from each other when an excessive current flows through the soft iron element, and a pair of conductive terminals that are used for confirming whether the connecting terminals are isolated from each other from outside the apparatus. A chemical light is installed in an upper portion of a housing of the fuse. An activation system for activating the chemical light 14 to radiate is installed at a lower end of the housing. Chemical mixtures react when the activation system is operated by the melting of the soft iron element, thereby radiating light.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for diagnosing a tripped fuse, comprises a light visible on the surface of a fuse; and an activation system comprising an elastic element, wherein the activation system activates the light when the fuse is tripped. In a preferred embodiment the light is a chemical light and comprises: an oxalate; and an activator that when mixed with the oxalate creates light, wherein the activator and the oxalate are caused to mix by an action of the elastic element. Also, a preferred embodiment comprises a glass tube containing the actuator; and a housing containing the oxalate, wherein the glass tube and housing are dimensioned and configured so that if the glass tube broke the activator would mix with the oxalate, and wherein the action of the elastic element is to exert force against the glass tube to break the glass tube. A further preferred embodiment comprises a soft iron element, wherein the soft iron element restrains the elastic element and prevents the elastic element from returning to a first position, and wherein the activating system activates the light by allowing the elastic element to move toward the first position. Additional, a preferred embodiment comprises a wire connecting the elastic element to the soft iron element and wherein the activation system allows the elastic element to move toward the first position in response to an excessive current flowing through and melting the soft iron element.